HYDERABAD: The city's rapid growth in all directions, inclusion of newer areas in the fold and rise in the number of vehicles, seem to be spreading its clouds of pollution far and wide. Places that hitherto were sparsely inhabited and hence did not register any beeps on the pollution radar are now screaming for attention with an alarming rise in parameters that reflect the ambient air quality.

The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) data for 2006 has Madhapur, Langar Houz and Kukatpally among other areas on the pollution map, which till recently used to highlight areas such as Abids, Charminar, Paradise and Punjagutta in the heart of the city.

With its complexion changed in just a decade, Madhapur has transformed from a sleepy hamlet on the city fringes to one with a pollution level that is on the rise. The data on this now bustling residential, office and commercial space has Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSPM) in October 2006 rising as high as 378 micrograms per cubic metre against an acceptable standard of 200 micrograms per cubic metre. In May last year, it was recorded as 269 and February recording with PCB shows it as 234.

In terms of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), another key parameter for pollution study, Madhapur had 185 micrograms per cubic metre in October 2006 against a standard of 100 microgram per cubic metre.

Startling data

Even the recordings at Langar Houz have come out with a startling data as TSPM was found to have zoomed to a shocking 403 micrograms per cubic metre and 398 microgram per cubic metre in October and November last year. For RSPM too, Langar Houz averaged 117 with the level touching 142 mark in May last.

The month-wise data for Pollution Board's SAAQM has Sainikpuri hopping across the 200-mark standard at least four times last year as far as TSPM is concerned. For RSPM, the data here has already started ranging between 60 and 70 micrograms per cubic metre. Almost similar are the figures pertaining to Kukatpally where a number of colonies have come up in the recent times.

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